Nautical vessels continue to be at the forefront of trade, transportation, and military focus. Specialized ships are constantly being designed to fit particular needs in these fields. However, the more specialized a ship's design, the more narrow its overall function.
Vessel draft plays an important role in the vessel's stability, with deeper drafts generally providing greater stability and the ability to operate at faster speeds. Draft is a function of many components, most primarily a function of the vessel's hull design. Historically, vessel hulls are either traditionally optimized for use in either shallow water or in deep water. Shallower waters necessitate a vessel with low draft to prevent grounding and allow beaching. However, although a shallow draft may allow for operation in shallower waters, this comes at a price as shallow draft vessels do not operate well in open seas or at high speed.
This is the reason that barges are typically used in shallow water while deep draft vessels like large cargo vessels and are used for heavy seas. It is common for a deep draft cargo vessel to stop at a port that can accommodate its draft and unload the cargo onto shallower draft barges. The large surface area of a barge creates enough displacement to reduce the draft of these vessels, allowing them to traverse more shallow channels.
Attempts have been made to create variable draft vessels that can be manipulated to function at various levels of draft to suit a particular need. These attempts have provided vessels with varying degrees of success; however, each has continued to suffer from major setbacks and problems. The instant invention seeks to provide a multi-use vessel with two or more independent hull members connected to a central primary hull wherein the location of hull members can be controllably manipulated relative to the primary hull and to the sea in order to alter the draft of the vessel.